Spike-puller



L. MGC. SHATTUCK. SPIKE FULLER.'

jYNO. 523,181. Patented July 17, 1894.

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A UNITED STATES PATENT4 OFFICE.

LINvILLE MocoLLsHATrUcK, or BRooKLINE, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

SPIKE-PULLER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 523,181, dated July17,1894. Application led September 30,1893. Serial No. 486,863 (Nomodel.)

To @ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LINVILLE MOCOLL SHATTUGK, of South Brookline, in thecounty of Hillsborough and State of New Hampshire, have invented a newand useful Improvement in Spike-Fullers, of which the following is afull, clear, and exact description.

The object of my invention is to provide a substitute for and moreefficient and economical device, both as regards time and labor, thanthe claw bar now in common use for pulling railroad and other spikes,and it consists in a lever and jaw-like device of novel construction forthis purpose, substantially as hereinafter describedand moreparticularly pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part ofthis specification, in which similar letters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in all the figures. j

Figure 1 represents a view in perspective of a spike puller embodying myinvention; Fig. 2 a partly sectional side view of the same; and Fig. 3is aside view in part, of the device as in the act of pulling a railroadspike.

`The implementit is preferred to make for the'most part of the bestforgeda steel and it -need not weigh more than twenty-five pounds or bemore than tive feet in length. It consists in part of a main 'lever orbar A having near its lower end rigidly secured to it a yoke formed bybent opposite side pieces B B. Within this yoke B B, at its lower end ispivoted, as at b b an Ainner yoke C which is normally held in an uprightposition within the outer yoke B B by a spring-pressedstop c and apositive back stop f. This inner yoke has pivoted to projections g 'g onit, the upper ends of opposite pairs of links h h, which are pivoted ina crossing manner at their lower ends, as by pivots i 1l, to crossedjaws D D, pivoted together as at k. These jaws, which are recessed as at`ZZ to receive the head of the spike within them, are held Vclosed in ayielding manner by springs 'm m connecting their upper arms with theyoke C.

To use the implement,` I place it with the jaws D D directly over thehead of the spike S, as shown in Fig. 2, with the corrugated projectionsor toes -n fn., on the opposite side pieces B B of the outer yoke,resting upon the head of the. rail R and with the lever or handle A inan uprightl position. A slightr downward pressure is then applied to theimplement to cause its jaws D D to seize the head of the spike to beremoved or pulled as in Fig. 2, then a steady lateral and downwardpressure is applied to the handle or lever A, with the toes n fn,resting as a fulcrum upon the rail R as shown in Fig. 3, and the spike Sis drawn from the railroad tie partially or wholly as desired.

It is obvious that the greater the resistance oered by the spike, thefirmer will be the grip of the jaws D. It will also be noted that, byreason of the pivotal connection between the yokes, the inner one, G,maintains a vertical position during the operation, and hence thetractive force is applied to the spike in direct line with it, and tobest possible advantage. Y

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. A spike-puller composed of a lever with a fixed-semicircular yoke atone end having lateral projections, a swinging inner/yoke pivoted to theends of the fixed yoke, and a pair of spike-grippingjaws pivotedtogether, and links which connect the upper arms of said jawswith-theupper portion of the swinging yoke, substantially as shown anddescribed.

2. In a railroad spike puller, the combination of an upright bar orlever provided with a fixed yoke at or near its lower end, having sidetoes or projections adapted to rest upon `the rail, an inner yokepivoted at' its lower end to the fixed yoke, and thus adapted to swingwithin it, a pair of opening and closing spike-pulling jaws pivotedtogether, a series of links connecting said jaws with and suspendingthemfrom the inner yoke, and springs operating to close the jaws,substantially as specied. v

3. In a spike puller of the character described, the combination, withan i upright main bar or lever provided with a fixed yoke at or near itslower end, of an inner jaw-carrying yoke pivoted at the lower end to thefixed yoke, and a spring-pressed stop applied to the lower end of themain bar or lever, and operating'to bind upon the inner yoke to'hold itnormally in alignment with the xed yoke, essentially as herein setforth.

LINVILIIE MCCOLL SHATTUCK.

IOO

Witnesses:

. WILLIAM J. BAILEY,

ELDoEUs C. SHATrUcK.

